Arte Italiana: How Old Is The Name?

[Ernst Bitterman]

I just got a rather nice little pen at a rather better than a sumgai price-- this was given to me by a very very very nice person on the basis of a minor kindness I did in the past:

 

...but I'm not here to brag about knowing uncommonly excellent human beings. This gift has got me digging into the history of the model, and I'll admit that the public record of it flummoxes me. I don't entirely discount claims of unbroken lineage right back to the 1932 Extra, but I can't quite live with them, either. Does anyone know just when OMAS started to apply the name "Arte Italiana" to their pens? The pinned catalogue at the top of this forum has it appearing at least as far back as sometime in the 1980s, but that's a firm as I can find for the first appearance. It certainly doesn't appear in the 1948-ish catalogue in the same post, which leaves about 40 years of mystery. That's a lot of mystery. Anyone have even a slightly documented start date?

[Keyless Works]

What a beautiful gift.

 

Based on the information I have from the Dolcini book the Arte Italiana line was introduced in 1984. The history of OMAS production is one of the best documented when compared with other Italian manufacturers but it's still quite minimal.

 

The first 557-F (later called the Paragon) was the most traditional of the original Arte Italiana line. The original line (unlike today) included ogival pens, less expensive steel nib pens in addition to the faceted models. The 557-F takes cues from older OMAS pens.

 

Here is one that I had (this is basically the original Arte Italiana design though the original had a 14kt nib and the nib grade was not marked)

 

 

The diamond clip most closely resembled OMAS pens from the 50s (though an earlier version of this diamond clip can be found on the Italia from the 30s).

 

The faceted body and greek key cap band resemble the OMAS Extra from the 30s and the 557 eventually moved to the 1930s roller style clip. A first for an OMAS was the second Greek key band just behind the threading on the section. I don't believe they made a pen with this second band before the AI line. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

The most recent incarnation that you have has a more modern interpretation of the roller clip. The thin cap band showed up in the 50s but did not have the Greek key...going forward to 1984 the smaller ogival pens from the Arte Italiana line had the single thin band with a Greek key design...

[Ernst Bitterman]

That response is almost as much a gift as the pen-- thanks very much! It looks, then, like the pinned '80's catalogue comes from about the start of its use.

 

...Although gandering at it again, it almost seems like in that book they're using "Arte Italiana" to mean "all fountain pens whose design isn't profoundly modern". Ah, well. It's not like Sheaffer or Waterman don't have lapses in their naming practices too.